Check Yes Juliet
by Glenniecrombie
Summary: A series of fluffy oneshots following Troy&Gabriella throughout the years on Valentine's Day. Fourth Grade: It's the year when drama arises and the push comes to shove.
1. Kindergarten: Year They Became Friends

Check Yes Juliet

**Kingergawten!**

Troy carefully tottered over to the coloring table in his kindergarten classroom, rummaging through the large cardboard box full of colored paper that sat on the bright orange faux wood table. He slowly brushed his long brown hair away from his 5 year-old eyes as he pulled a piece of bright pink paper from the box.

Troy smiled as he sat down onto one of the miniature green plastic seats and set the paper down in front of him. Looking around, he instantly spotted a 64-pack of Crayola crayons sitting in front of his best friend Chad Danforth's chair and quickly snatched them away.

"Hey! Twoy! Dos were _my _cwayons!" Chad grumbled angrily, his bouncing curls shaking in anger.

"Sowwy, Chad. I'm makin' a vawentine's day cawrd!" Troy jumped up and down in his seat excitedly, his brown corduroy overalls squeaking against the plastic.

Chad raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes. "Fow who? Shawpinie?"

"It's Sharpay, poophead!" The tall blonde 6 year-old spat as she brushed past Chad, her pink clip-on hair extensions almost whipping the side of his mini-afro. Sharpay had the reputation as the troublemaker of her class – and she lived up to it. Usually, to prevent herself from getting into any trouble, she blamed things on everyone else. Needless to say, she and her twin brother Ryan weren't ones to be invited to _play with _at recess.

"I'm not a poophead…" Chad mumbled as he returned to cutting out three hearts from a piece of red construction paper.

Troy pulled a purple crayon from the box and scribbled onto the page:

_To: gAbRiellA_

_From: Troy B._

_Will yU beE Muy VawenTime?_

Underneath it, he drew a big red heart with a smiley face on it.

Smiling at his work, Troy quickly folded it and pasted on some heart-shaped beads onto the front. Hugging it to his chest, he scurried over to the other side of the room. Brightly colored cardboard mailboxes were tacked to the cork board on the wall. Attached to each mailbox was a sign written by Miss Smyles (their teacher) that was covered with silver stars and red and white paper heart chains.

Reading the signs, he quickly spotted Gabriella's mailbox. Pulling on an empty chair, he climbed onto it and slipped it in on top of all the other Valentines Day cards she already had.

Troy was a short kid. Many of his relatives, including his big brother Cameron, were tall, seeing as his parents were of Amazonian heights. His father, Jack Bolton, was a pro basketball coach for the LA Lakers, and also a former high school basketball star. His mother, Lucille Bolton, was a professional print-ad model for Splash!, a world-renowned liquid makeup line.

As Troy stepped off the chair, he came face to face with Gabriella Montez, the wide-eyed, tan skinned, Filipino-Irish girl he made friends with ever since she came to Discovery World Kindergarten.

"Hello, Troy!" She smiled, her hand flapping against her silky blue sundress.

"Hiya, Gabi!" He snorted funnily.

"Before I fowget…" She grinned, pulling a stack of pink and white cards from underneath her arm. "Here's your cawrd, Troy." She pulled a card out of the center of the pile and thrust it into his hands. This one, unlike the others, was bright red with a large candy heart tapped to the front, the powdered sugar spilling from under the tape.

Troy hugged the card close to his chest, thanked her, and ran away towards the art table, where Chad frantically grappled with his eraser against his construction paper.

As Troy slowly opened the card, a large pop-out picture of a smiling heart-shaped lollipop (obviously a cutout from a coloring book) sprung out, then settled back into the card. Troy traced his stubby finger over the heart, realizing that she had used glitter to color it in. After admiring the shininess of the glitter, he finally let his young eyes scan over the words on the card.

_To: Troy_

_From: Gabriella_

_Troy: Happy Valentine's Day! Here is some candys just for yu!_

_(P.S. Be mi Valentine?)_

Troy shivered from excitement as he pulled the small packet of homemade hard candies from the card and stuffed one into his mouth. In his five year-old mind, being someone's "valentine" was holding hands, hugging, and sharing a pack of homemade hard candies. Little did he know that those feelings would escalate on Valentine's Day the next year, the year after that, and the _years_ after that.

- -

**Next Chapter: **First Grade!


	2. First Grade: Year of Best Friends

Check Yes Juliet

**First Grade**

Gabriella sat quietly at her desk while every other child in the room scrambled around frantically, delivering Valentines. She slipped a book from her desk, _Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, _and began reading. As she did so, she noticed Troy walking aimlessly around her desk and through her aisle repeatedly.

"Yes, Troy?" She said in her smooth 6 going on 16 voice.

"Shorry, Gabriella. Itsh jusht that…itsh Valentinesh Day."

"Um, I know. I saw the calendar," replied Gabriella off-handedly.

"Sho…do you want to help me make my Valentinesh Day cardsh?"

"Um…" Gabriella slipped her book back into her desk, deciding she could always finish reading her book another time. She giggled nervously before answering, "Sure!"

Troy grasped her hand in his, ushering her towards the arts and crafts table.

"C'mon! Letsh get shome stuff! Like ders macaroni over der! And glitter! And crayonshs!" Troy smiled, a hole from where his baby tooth fell out clearly evident. Gabriella simply smiled as she reached out for some Crayola markers and macaroni. The glitter section was currently occupied by Sharpay Evans, who was shamelessly hogging it.

"Look, _Ry_," A seven-year-old Sharpay grinned; she and Ryan were the oldest in their class since their birthday was sometime near January. "All the glitter's gonna be _mine_!" She squealed before grabbing the golden glitter, green glitter, silver glitter, blue glitter, and mixed glitter. Attempting to balance it all, she greedily rushed back to her table.

In the process of balancing all the glitter botles, she bumped right into Gabriella, who was standing on line with Troy.

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, STOOO-PID!" Sharpay snapped at the brunette, dropping her glitter on the floor and causing a spill. Her mouth dramatically opened wide as she screamed shrilly. Her glitter fell onto the ground, inevitably spilling. Sharpay stomped her foot in frustration, frantically raising her hand and waving it widely. "MISS CANDIE! LOOK WHAT GWABRIELLA DID! SHE TOSSED ALL THE GLITTER ON THE GROUND! ON _PURPOSE_!"

Ms. Candie immediately rushed to the scene, looking at the angered Sharpay then back to frightened Gabriella. Gabriella looked terrified as she stared down at the ground and the mess that Sharpay was the cause of.

"Gabriella, this is a very naughty thing to do!" Ms. Candie scolded the little girl, "You're going to have to help clean it up."

Gabriella stared down at her sneakers, embarrassed to look Miss Candie in the eye. She hadn't meant any harm. She was just standing with Troy when Sharpay rudely bumped into her and dropped all the glitter, causing havoc like always.

"But Mish Candie!" Troy protested, raising his innocent face to meet her gaze, "Gabriella didn't do anyshing! Shawpay dwopped the glitter!"

Miss Candie looked back at Sharpay. "Is this true, Sharpay?"

Sharpay's mouth fell open as she scowled, "I did _not_! He's a _liar_!" Sharpay glared at Troy.

Troy's lip quivered as he glanced at Sharpay's scary look then put his small hands over his eyes and shook his head, "Shtop_ startling_ me, Shawpie!" He wailed. Ms. Candie raised an eyebrow at the use of the word.

"Startling?" Ms. Candie asked, curiously.

Slowly, Troy opened his eyes and his hands fell down to his sides again, "Uh-huh!" Troy smiled proudly, turning to Gabriella, "My valentshine uses the word!

Ms. Candie smiled at the pair, silently thinking about how cute it was. The duo usually did everything together and Ms. Candie sincerely hoped their friendship would last as the two grew older. "All right, kids, we are still going to need to clean up the glitter."

"But-but it was Shawpie!" A six-year-old Chad Danforth with a mini-afro on his head butted in, "She was taking all ze glitter _all to herswelf!_" Chad complained, facing Sharpay as he placed his hands on his hips, staring her down in a manner similar to the way his mother glared at his father, as Chad himself previously observed.

"Ya!" A much-shorter girl with auburn hair supplied. Kelsi Nielson was the shortest _and _shyest girl in the class, but she was friendly with Gabriella (the two sat at the same table: Table B) and she had to stick up for her against mean Sharpay.

Sharpay scoffed, "Oh _whateva!_" She crossed her arms. "It was my glitter that I wanted to use! Mine! Mine! Mine! _Mine_!" She hissed at all of them. Then, turning towards her twin brother, she glared at him, "_RIGHT, Ryan?"_

The younger (by two minutes) twin remained quiet, looking down at his light-up sneakers whilst playing with a pink string that he was going to use for his card, "," Ryan said hurriedly in a hushed breath.

Sharpay shrieked, apalled that even her brother didn't stick up for her, "Don't believe dem Miss Candie! Dey're all _liars_!"

Miss Candie shook her head, "That is a very mean thing to do Sharpay. I'm afraid after you clean up this mess you caused you're going to have to sit in the corner, dear. Come, I'll help you with the broom," The first grade teacher said, taking her by the hand and ushering her towards the closet.

Troy grinned as he turned back to Gabriella, "Shee? Everything turned out otay!" He grinned a toothless smile before taking her hand in his and leading her back towards the paper station, "C'mon! Shoose a paper for your card!"

Gabriella smiled and took a light pink one, "I have mine! I know just what to put!" She said, clearly without any lisp.

Troy smiled at her before taking his light blue paper and walking back to his table – Table D, and motioned Gabriella to come sit down next to him, "C'mon! You can shit at Zheke's sheat! He won't mind!" Troy smiled and politely took the chair out for her, "Herwe you go!"

Gabriella bit her lip and then smiled, "Thank you Troy!" And with that, she sat down next to him and began to excitedly work on her valentine, "What are you going to draw?"

Troy shrugged, already gripping the marker as he shakily tried his best to write in the nicest hand-writing that he could, "I dhon't know! But itsh will be good!"

After a few minutes of working on them, Troy reached into his pocket and remembered having some candy in there that he won during recess from a basketball game against the second graders. It was the first time he won something and he felt proud for doing so. And in return, he received a pack of M&Ms.

Troy grinned as he reached for some scotch tape and pressed the pack of M&Ms inside the card. Drawing a big heart around it and putting some glue around it as well. Then, he quickly rushed out of his seat and ran towards the floor, squatted down and picked some red glitter into his hands. Then he ran back to his seat and poured it on the card, "THERE! Itsh pwerfect!"

Gabriella, who made the final touches on her neat Valentine card, looked up at Troy and smiled.

"Heresh you go, Gabi!" Troy smiled, giving her the card.

"What did you call me?" Gabriella looked up at him, curiously.

"Gabi. Datsh otay, right?" Troy looked at her worriedly, wondering if she might get mad at him for calling her that, "Cuz I won't call you dat again if you-"

Gabriella smiled at him and rested her hand on top of his, "No, no. It's okay," She gave him a sweet smile, "I was just making sure I heard it right," And with that, she went back to coloring her hearts, her left hand still resting on top of Troy's.

Troy didn't know why, but he felt a tingling feeling in his stomach and smiled.

"Uhm…here you go!" Troy said again, handing her the card.

Gabriella finished up hers and smiled as she handed him his, "Here's yours."

Troy smiled and got up from his seat, shyly.

"Umm…okay," Troy nervously laughed before taking his Valentine, scattering off somewhere else. Gabriella raised an eyebrow and smiled as she watched the boy run off. _He's odd…funny, though._

She glanced at the card front.

_To: Gabriella- Gabi_

_Wanna be my Valentine? I tryied to write it as neatly as I couald. You're really cool! I want you to have my M&Ms! They're GOOOOD! Enjoy it, Valentine!_

_Hugz,_

_Troy_

Gabriella smiled as she ripped off the M&Ms and looked around at the nicely drawn card. In the center was the picture drawn of the scene awhile earlier. Gabriella giggled as she saw Sharpay, a stick figure with yellow hair that stood up in spikes, her face colored in red with devil ears drawn on her. And next to her were two other stick figures holding hands. Gabriella recognized the one with the curly black hair as hers and the one with the flat brown squiggles drawn on top of the head as Troy. She grinned as she saw a heart drawn around it with red glitter. Pressing it close to her, Gabriella grinned and made a note to herself to keep this Valentine.

Troy, who ran off to the back of the classroom, looked at his Valentine neatly decorated with macaroni and hearts drawn with markers and crayons.

_To: Troy_

_From: Gabriella_

_Happy V-day! Thank you for standing up for me today with Sharpay! You're my bestest friend ever! ( :_

Troy grinned as he looked at the neat card. He felt heat rise to his cheeks and didn't know why. All he knew was that this had been one of the greatest days of first grade so far.

--

**Next Up: **Second Grade


	3. Second Grade: Year of Separation

**Author's Note: **Gabriella's handwriting: Bradly Hand ITC (bold it on Microsoft Word, please)

Troy's Handwriting: Tempus Sans ITC

Check Yes Juliet

**Second Grade**

It was tragic – simply tragic. Troy and Gabriella had been separated! In Discovery World, there were two second grade classes, one taught by Ms. Barbus, and the other taught by Mrs. Elanore. Barbus was a mean grouch, while Elanore was a bright, funny, interesting woman. Not only were the two kiddies split up, but Troy was thrown into Ms. Barbus's class, along with Chad, Sharpay, and Ryan. Zeke, Kelsi, and the new girl, Martha, were all put into Mrs. Elanore's class.

This year, though, the classes were allowed to give different people throughout the school Valentine's Day cards.

Gabriella sat quietly at her desk-a _real_ desk, not those little tables from first grade- and began cutting little hearts out of blue paper and pasting them onto a silver sheet of shiny paper. Kelsi, who happened to sit next to her, was using her 74 pack of crayons to doodle a rough picture of Ryan's face onto a card that read "To Ryan. _Love_ Kelsi."

Gabi giggled at how Kelsi was crushing on Ryan. She couldn't imagine why. A couple days prior, Ryan had started wearing sequin covered shirts and colorful fedora hats. He said it was his new _style_. Little did he know that this phase would carry on to his teenage years and never end. Gabriella gathered up her blue hearts and ran over to the glitter station where, luckily, no one was hogging the blue glitter. She sprinkled some onto each heart before pasting the hearts to the paper. On the top of the picture she wrote:

_To: Troy_

_From: Gabriella_

_I'll have a blue Valentine's Day without yoU! I miss you not being in my class, valentine._

After carefully folding the card, she pasted her last blue heart on the front, drawing a sad face on it.

"You miss him that mush?" Kelsi said from over her shoulder.

"Troy is my bestest friend! Of course I miss him."

"Gabi and Troy, sittin' in a twee! K-I-S-V-O-L-P!" Kesli giggled before scurrying off.

Gabriella knew that "kissing" wasn't spelled with a V, O, L, or P, but didn't bother to mention that to Kelsi. She'd learn…eventually.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Troy thrust the pan of gold glitter into Chad's hands. "Throw this id the air!" He instructed. His lisp had finally gone away, but now, all of his n's sounded like d's.

"You got a cold, bro?" Chad asked, wiping his hand in his afro. "Your tawlkin awl funny!"

"It's a muscular problem id my lower jaw, dow just do what I said!" Troy held his glue covered card under where the glitter would fall and waited, his concentration intense.

"Otay…otay. Chillz, dawg!"

Chad threw two handfuls of glitter into the air, but completely missed Troy's card. Instead, the glitter careened down onto Troy's hair and his small Lakers jersey.

"CHAD!" Troy exclaimed, jumping away from him, surveying the damage.

"TROY!" Ms. Barbus snapped, rushing over to him. "You look like a dang Christmas tree! Why are you so shiny?!"

"CHAD PHREW GLITTER OD ME!" He screamed, his card dropping onto the brown carpet.

"WHAT?!" Babrbus's eyes flashed with anger.

"HE TOLD ME TOO!" Chad exclaimed, stomping his foot angrily.

"LIAR! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PHROW THE GLITTER OD TO MY CARD SO THAT IT LOOKED PRETTIFUL! DOW GABRIELLA'LL HATE IT!" Troy's body shook violently as he sobbed.

"It's just a card, silly. It's not a big deal. Make another one." Sharpay piped in, twirling a piece of clip on blue extensions around her finger.

"SHE'LL HATE ME! IT'S ALL CHAD'S FAULT!"

Chad narrowed his eyes and stuck out his tongue.

"CHAD!" Ms. Barbus screamed, "TO THE TIME-OUT CORNER!"

"WHAT!" Chad's eyes widened innocently.

"HA HA!" Sharpay growled menacingly as Chad stomped away in a huff.

"Now, Troy. Stop crying, you big baby. Just make another card. I'll give extra time, okay?" Barbus said in her sweetest tone, which was still rather harsh.

"Otay…"

-- -- -- -- -

"Okay class! It's time for the Valentine's Day exchange! Everyone, find someone in Ms. Barbus's class who you'd like to give your card to and hand it to them!"

"Like this?" Martha asked, thwaping Jason Cross's hands with her cardboard card.

"NO! MARTHA! _Gently_…"

"Sorrieeeeee!"

Mrs. Elanore rubbed Martha's shoulder and smiled. "I forgive you. Now, on the count of three, go make your exchanges! One…two…"

"THREE!" Martha exclaimed, stampeding out the door with 8 other students. Gabriella followed slowly.

She was having butterflies in her stomach and it felt like she was going to throw up…but why? One too many turkey sandwiches at lunch? Too many Sweetharts? Jellybeans? Or maybe it was… _Nah!_ She thought, brushing the thought out of her mind. _Why would seeing Troy make me nervous?_

She looked up from her sweaty palms and saw none other than Troy Bolton standing in front of her, covered in metallic glitter. She giggled to herself, looking at Troy and his…shininess.

"Hey," She greeted him, still laughing at his appearance, "Wow, glitter much?"

Troy just looked down sadly onto the floor, "Yeah, id was an akccident with Chad. I was making your Valedtide and I asked Chad to put some glitter and he spilled it od me idstead," Troy grumbled, "I'm sorry."

Gabriella smiled at him, "It's okay. I don't mind, really. It's the thought that counts."

Troy grinned, "Good. So how's life id Mrs. Eladore's class?"

Gabriella tried to ignore the twisting feelings she had in her stomach at the moment, "Oh, it's really fun with Mrs. Elanore! I'm sad you have to deal with Mrs. Barbus, though. I heard she's really mean!"

"She is!" Troy exclaimed, "And her favorite studedt is actually Sharpay! It's duts!"

Gabriella giggled again, "_Duts_."

"Hey," Troy playfully hit her, "Stop making fud of me! The doctor said I should get over it sood!"

Gabriella nodded, almost forgetting she had a Valentine to give him, "Oh, don't worry. I think it's cute!"

Troy grinned; an awkward silence followed them when neither knew what to say. Gabriella noticed how Troy seemed to grow a few inches; still, he wasn't as tall as some of the boys in his class (Chad was taller than him due to his afro sticking out) and Gabriella knew how much it bothered Troy considering his background was full of tall people. The two seven-year-olds stood there, Gabriella unconsciously reaching up on her tippytoes to reach Troy's height; she was about four inches shorter than he was. She wasn't the shortest girl in the class, though. Kelsi was the shortest of them all. Martha was another girl who was shorter than Gabriella. And she heard that Sharpay in Mrs. Barbus' class was only half an inch taller than she was.

Gabriella's mind finally remembered all about the card, "Oh! Sorry! I made your Valentine!" Gabriella quickly handed him the Valentine.

Troy grinned, looking at it, "Whoah, your pedmadship's looki'd good! Mrs. Barbus keeps scolding me 'bout mide!"

Gabriella smiled, "I like your hand-writing. It's _much _better than Chad's," She giggled remembering the time in the schoolyard when she tried to decipher the squiggles Chad made, later to find out it wasn't even in _English_.

Troy laughed, "Well, adythid's better thad Chad's!"

Gabriella stood patiently, expecting hers. Troy just sighed, taking it out from his hand in the back, "Here you go. But…just…dod't be sad, otay?"

Gabriella shook her head and took the Valentine in her hands and hugged it to herself, "I could never be sad about it. Knowing it's from you is enough to put a smile on my face."

Troy chuckled, "That's good cuz I like it whed you smile. It shows you're happy!"

"Mhmm!" Gabriella nodded, beginning to look down at her Valentine. She broke into a grin when she read it.

_To: My Valentine-Gabriella_

_You're the best Valentine I could ever have! Thanks for always being there for me, Gabi! You're my best friend and that's never gonna change! We'll be—_

Gabriella raised an eyebrow when the writing was cut off with a wet smudge. Looking up, she asked Troy, "What's this supposed to say?"

Troy just blushed, "Oh. It was s'pposed to say that we'd be id the same class sood agaid!"

Gabriella smiled, hearing her teacher beginning to call for all the children to come back to their right classes now, "I sure hope so!" She grinned at the picture drawn of her and Troy by the swings in the schoolyard. Now that they were in second grade, they were able to play by the older kid's playground, which no longer had a sandbox, but sets of swings. Everyone would stand in line to get their own swings, and when it was Troy's turn he immediately called Gabriella over to sit on the swings, and would push her.

"Thank you so much Troy!" Gabriella smiled, wrapping him in a tight hug, "I have to go now. But I'll catch you later on the playground, okay?"

Troy smiled, looking down at her, "Otay. I'll save you a swing."

And with that, Gabriella took her Valentine and scurried over to her class, waving one last time at Troy. Troy blushed a bit and waved back, holding onto his own Valentine. This morning, his older brother Cameron told him of how when you get older Valentines symbolize that you like-like someone. Troy just scrunched up his nose at the thought, but as Troy began marching back towards his classroom, still all filled with glitter, his mind couldn't help but think about it.

--

**Next Up: **Third Grade


	4. Third Grade: Year With Juliet

Check Yes Juliet

**Third Grade**

Third grade at Discovery Elementary was definitely a big change. Gone were the days when you would be able to sit together in a group. Now, desks were officially separated, and you sat by yourself. Or, if your classroom was bigger, you sat in two's. But, still, there weren't any changes. And now that you were in third grade, you were required to learn how to write in script. Things in Discovery Elementary just became difficult.

There were three third grade classes – Mrs. O'Brien, Mrs. Reham, and Mr. McDorkold. Mrs. Reham's class was probably known as the toughest – the kids had to sit by themselves and if they were ever to be caught talking – a scolding would be in order, and sometimes, if you didn't behave, work would be assigned to keep you quiet. And nobody liked more work of multiplication and division. Sadly, Gabriella's friend Martha was in this class.

Then, there was the easy-going teacher Mrs. O'Brien. Kids there were said to have lots of fun, even though they sat in pairs. But still, it was a lot harder than second grade was. Gabriella's other friend Kelsi was in this class, while Gabriella herself was in Mr. McDorkold's class – her first male teacher. She was separated from her two friends. But at least Troy was in Mr. McDorkold's class, too.

Nobody really liked Mr. McDorkold – but they did learn a lot. Gabriella sat in the farthest right in the front row next to Ryan Evans. (Thankfully, Sharpay was in Mrs. Reham's class.) She had grown to like Ryan; he was a good person and nothing like his sister. Ryan seemed to like Gabriella, too. And thus, the two got along.

Troy – on the other hand sat in the back left next to a girl named Cyndra, who had an _unnatural _high-pitched voice that made Troy wince anytime he heard it. He silently disliked Ryan Evans for being able to sit next to his best friend while he was forced to sit with crazy Cyndra. And it didn't help that his friends were all in Mrs. O'Brien's class. Chad, Jason, _and _Zeke had all gotten lucky in Mrs. O'Brien's class. Troy didn't know anyone in this class aside from Gabriella and Ryan.

Troy would often find himself looking to the front of the right side in the classroom. He got super angry when this other weird short, skinny baritone voiced kid Alan, who sat behind Gabriella, would tug on one of her curls just to annoy her. If he were Ryan and was lucky enough to sit next to her, he would definitely say something to that Alan kid.

Another thing had changed in third grade. It seemed that almost everyone changed. Zeke had grown about three inches over the summer, and now he was one of the tallest third graders in school. Chad's afro seemed to have grown ever more wider and more things had begin getting stuck in it. Jason, well, Jason didn't really change. He just became dumber than usual. Gabriella had grown out her hair so that her curls now went down to her waist. Gabriella's friend Martha had gotten her hair cut really short, and Gabriella's other friend Kelsi had gotten glasses. And Troy…? What exactly _did _change about Troy? He was still shorter than his guyfriends and it bothered him to no end. Although, Cameron told him it would catch up so he didn't have to worry. At least he finally lost his lisp.

Right at that moment, however, Mrs. O'Brien stomped into the room, "MISTER MCDORKOLD!" She shrieked. Troy winced, remembering how high-maintenance she could be.

Mr. McDorkold frowned and glared at the woman; could the woman read? Really, whenever the sign 'Testing' was up, she would march right in. When it said, 'Do Not Disturb' she still marched in. And now with that sign up, she still marched in.

"These three trouble makers are making a fuss in my classroom! Have them in here and separate them and make sure they don't talk to _anyone_," Mrs. O'Brien said, pushing the kids in there before slamming the door before Mr. McDorkold could say anything else.

Mr. McDorkold groaned and said to Chad, Zeke, and Jason, "Pick a seat away from each other and don't say a word to the other students," He ordered gruffly, before going back to marking some tests on his desk at the front of the room.

Chad just grinned and waved to Troy, before mouthing, "We grabbed some scissors and started cutting up Mrs. O'Brien's tests!"

Troy's mouth fell open as he grinned; it was very like Chad, Zeke, and Jason to get in trouble for these kinds of things constantly. Unfortunately for him, Cyndra had just sneezed on him again.

Cyndra had blew her nose on her tissue and placed it in between their desks, "Who are you giving your Valentine to?" She was currently sick, so her voice sounded even more nasally than before.

Troy looked a bit disgusting as he stared at the tissue, "Uh…can you…move that thing, please?"

"OH! OKAY!" Cyndra coughed near him and stood up to throw out the tissue, but in the end, got another tissue for herself.

"Geez, if you're sick stay home," Troy muttered to himself as he took some crayons and colored random Valentine's. He had to make them for the _whole class_, according to Mr. McDorkold, so he was making them nearly all the same with, 'Happy Valentine's Day' written inside each card. He was saving the card for his _real _Valentine for a bit later. But his mind couldn't get off the song his brother Cameron showed him the night before.

It was "Check Yes Juliet" and for some reason Troy _really _liked the song. Cameron joked about using that song to woo Gabriella one day (Troy didn't really understand what he meant by that, but hey, what eight-year-old would grasp the full concept of that?).

Finally, Troy decided to do something different for Gabriella's Valentine this year. Looking towards the front right side of the room again, he saw Gabriella laughing at something Ryan was saying. He felt a bit hurt by the friendship she and Ryan developed and sometimes wondered if Ryan was her new best friend. Troy remembered how Chad told him that the week Troy was out sick, she sat with Ryan at lunch and even played _basketball _with him. Troy felt like he had been hit by a bunch of darts. Basketball. That was always Troy's thing. He and the guys would always play basketball at recess and sometimes Gabriella would join in. Now he had been told that Gabriella was playing _basketball _with Ryan? Ryan Evans couldn't even hold the ball right! How was that possible? In anger, Troy wrote something down on piece of paper and told the kid in front of him to pass it down to Gabriella.

_Do you like me? Check yes or no, Juliet._

Troy watched eagerly as the note made its way around until it reached Jason. Unfortunately, Jason didn't grasp the concept and looked at Troy weirdly, before mouthing, "Dude! I d-didn't kn-know y-you liked me…THAT way, I mean, DUDE!"

Troy hit his head before mouthing back, "NO! Dude, hand that to Gabriella!"

Jason just looked even more confused and shrugged and handed it to Chad.

Chad glanced at the note, immediately recognizing it as Troy's handwriting. His mouth dropped open as he exclaimed loudly, "TROY, WHO THE HECK IS _JULIET_!?"

Immediately, half the class turned around and looked at him oddly. Others began to start cooing that Troy sent someone named, 'Juliet' a love note. Troy's face immediately turned red as the class began, 'Oou'ing. He put his head down in shame.

Gabriella, who was working on Ryan's Valentine, turned around to look at Troy and frowned. _Troy likes someone? Who could it be? Does he like Cyndra? Wait, he was passing it up – maybe it's Carla Pratt! She sits in front of Chad! What if it's not someone in our class so Troy gave it to Chad to give to someone in Mrs. O'Brien's class? _

Gabriella knew that ever since third grade started, it had become harder and harder for the two hang out like they usually did. In third grade, it was basically boys vs girls. Like whenever she wanted to play with Troy at recess he was always busy with his guy friends shooting baskets. And even though Gabriella didn't show it, she was always upset when he had to say, 'Sorry Gabi. But the guys and I are doing some hardcore practicing. And you're…a girl. I don't want you to get hurt, no offense.'

And then either Zeke or Jason would repeat, "YEAH! CUZ YOU'RE A _GIRL!_ You can't handle the stuff we do!" So, Gabriella would walk off and try to read in the shady tree corner, wondering why things had to get all complicated all of the sudden. It wasn't like Kindergarten when anyone could play with anyone without having to worry about anything. It was third grade and the differences between boys and girls were obviously evident.

Gabriella always thought that the difference would have to melt away eventually, because she knew how when you were older boys and girls might become sweethearts and she couldn't deny that she, Martha, and Kelsi sometimes dreamed about that. In first grade, they'd play _House _and Troy and her were almost always married and had two kids and a pet dog named Sparky. Kelsi was Gabriella's maid of honor and Chad was Troy's best man. Gone were the days they could play that, and Gabriella sort of missed it. So when she couldn't hang out with Troy or the girls, she'd go over towards the swings where some of the second graders played and talk to Ryan. Ryan was a good kid and he didn't have many friends, so Gabriella liked talking to him sometimes-unless Sharpay (or _Sharpee _as she was called) was around.

Gabriella remembered when Mrs.O'Brien's class had given Sharpay that nickname. She had been outside playing when all of the sudden, her face had turned bright red and she wrapped her arms around her waist. 's class and Mrs.O'Brien's class had swarmed around the blonde haired beauty and began taunting her, saying "Sharpee peed on herself!" or "Look what Sharpee did!" Gabriella laughed to herself before returning to her cards.

Meanwhile, Chad was throwing Troy a questioning look. Troy just mouthed, "Gabi!" Making sure Gabriella didn't see, and she did not because by this time she chatting it up with Ryan (she had assumed Troy would be her _real_ Valentine this year again, but it looked as if he found another Valentine already).

Chad scratched his scalp, "Zeke?" he said incredulously. Shivering, he handed the Valentine to Zeke, not even bothering to understand what was going on.

Zeke took the note, reading it, and raised an eyebrow looking at Chad, "What the _heck_?"

Chad shrugged, "Troy told me to give it to you."

Zeke's face was scrunched up even more when he turned his head around to the back of the classroom and looked at Troy with his hands up bewildered, "What's up with _this_, dude?"

"Give it to Gabriella!" Troy hissed at him. This was getting way too nuts.

Zeke's mouth formed an, 'Oh,' as he understood and passed it to this kid, named Bob, in front of him, "Hand it to Gabriella."

Bob looked at the note and grinned, "Ooooouuu! Zeke likes Gabriella! Zeke likes Gabriella!" The whole class now burst out laughing as they stared at a tomato-red Zeke who was protesting.

"No! No! No I don't!"

"Yes, you do!" Bob teased them, "ZEKE AND GABRIELLA SITTING IN A TREE! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! FIRST COMES LWOVE! THEN COMES MARRIAGE! THEN COMES AN UGLY BABY IN A CARRAIGE!"

Gabriella looked up and looked at Bob angrily. Why did the kid have to be so mean?

"Stop it Bob!" She shrieked, "You're so annoying!"

Bob just turned to her and smirked, "And you're UGLY! Hahahahah! NANANANNANA! ZEKE LIKES GABRIELLA! ZEKE LIKES GABRIELLA! ZEKE LIKES UGLY, STUPID GABRIELLA!" He scoffed before flinging his hand out and tugging on one of her curly brown pigtails.

"Bob! Stop it! Please!" Gabriella cried, tears beginning to run down her chubby cheeks.

"NANANANANA!" Bob cackled maniacally as he yanked on the other pigtail.

"QUIET!" screamed, slamming down the pile of tests he had in his hand. "THIS IS NO WAY FOR A GROUP OF EIGHT YEAR OLDS TO ACT! NOW I WANT SILENCE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I AM _APPALLED_!"

The room went silent. Although they were all silently giggling or throwing quizzical looks at each other, everyone knew better than to backtalk -everyone, that is, except Jason.

"ZEKE AND GABRIELLA SITTING IN A TREE! K-I-S-Y-Q-R-L-O-P-F-G-D-E-C-JABBERWOCKY!" He cried out, dancing on his chair. Suddenly he stopped and looked around the room. "Hey? Why are you all quiet, yo?"

's face was bright red, an anger vein showed purplish on his forehead.

"Uh oh…" Jason whispered slowly.

"Mmmm…, may I see you in the hallway?" said in his signature mumble-voice.

Jason gulped before hopping off his chair, making the sign of the cross, and shuffling towards 's massive figure.

After a few minutes, came back in and brushed his hands off on his dress pants. Jason Cross was never seen again-until lunch that day, anyway.

Gabriella wiped her eyes with the back of her hands and went back to coloring in her heart-shaped card. The marker smudged a bit over Troy's name, though, and she quickly began crying again.

"Why's she cryin, dawg?" Chad whispered to Troy.

"NO TALKING!" bellowed. "DO WANT TO END UP LIKE JASON?!"

Chad's eyes bulged and his afro sagged. "No, sir. I-I don't w-want to be t-thrown i-in-into the r-r-r-river!"

"What are you talking about, fool? Jason just went to the principal's office…" McDorkold growled.

"Oh…I-I knew dat!"

"Mmmm," mumbled before returning to his desk. "By the way, …I…mmmm…_obviously_ expect a hair cut…and things of that nature, mmmm."

"Uh…you don't have no hair for a hair cut, sir-dawg!" Chad replied, pulling a candy bar from the denseness of his afro and peeling back the plastic wrapper.

"I MEANT FOR YOU!"

"Oh…my bad…"

-- -- -

Mr. McDorkold's class was now standing in a semi circle outside in the playground.

"You may start giving out your cards….NOW!" He exclaimed, tapping his watch with one of his dried out broken fingernails. "You have exactly..." He traced the little hand with is stubby thumb. "Thirty minutes and fifty two seconds."

As the class began to move around, continued to count down. "Fifty one, fifty, forty nine, forty eight… hey, that's my age…not."

Gabriella looked down as she thrust Troy's half smudged card into his hands. "Here, take it…you poopface…"

"Hey, there do deed for dame calling!" Troy said then quickly covered his mouth. He remembered what the doctor had said to him when his "speech impairment" had gone away. He'd said that whenever Troy would get nervous, upset, or sad, it would most likely come back-temporarily, of course.

"_Do deed for dame calling!"_ She mocked him.

"Shud up!" He replied angrily.

"Whatever." She cackled before sticking her tongue out at him and giving him a raspberry.

"Gabriella!" Troy said slowly as she turned to walk away. "Gabriella, waid! Waid dup!"

"What, _Doy_?" She said, mocking him again.

Troy grabbed her by the wrist, his Valentine's Day card under his arm, and pulled her behind a nearby trashcan.

"LET GO OF ME TROY!" she screamed,"LETGOOFMEORI'MCALLINGTHECOPS!" Gabriella expertly recited the phrase that her mother had taught her in case of emergencies.

Troy let go, but asked her to be quiet.

"Fine, I'll be quiet, but first you have to tell me who the heck is Juliet?" She crossed her arms over her flat chest and stared fiercely into Troy's eyes.

"Juliet is-"

"She's in 's class, isn't she?! I KNEW IT!"

"No…Juliet is-"

"Is she that new foreign exchange girl?! I thought her name was Bolbilia!"

"JULIET IS YOU!!" Troy screamed his eyes not ungluing from her face.

She went silent.

"Um…"

"Me?" She finally croaked, her voice cracking. Troy couldn't tell if it was from anger or excitement, maybe a combination of the two?

"Yes, Gabi. You're my bestest friend, alond wif Chad oof course…"

"Urgh. The boys. Yeah, Troy. That makes me feel, _so_ much better!"

"Dude, chill out!"

"DUDE! I'M NOT A DUDE! DO YOU EVEN KNOW THE DEFINITION OF DUDE?!"

"Um…n-no…"

"GET A BRITANICA!" Gabriella screamed before trying to run off. Troy grabbed her by the shirtsleeve and pulled her back.

"STOP GABRIELLA!"

"I'M A GIRL! MAYBE YOU FORGOT! I'M NOT A DUDE, NEVER WILL BE A DUDE, AND NEVER WILL _HAVE_ A DUDE. CATCH MY DRIFT?"

"Gabi…I'm sorry. It's just…really hard for me to tell you what I want to say."

"Well spit it out or _I'm_ out!"

"I wuv you…"

"Wha…"

"I _said_ Iwuvyou…"

"You what me?"

"URGH!" Troy pulled her close and placed his lips on top of hers.

"Mmmm?" Gabriella started. Suddenly realizing what he was trying to do, her eyes grew wide, then softened.

She kissed him back.

Their kiss wasn't a big show. There was no one around, no tongue, barely any touching. It was sweet and innocent-all that puppy love should be.

"I'm just gonna throw out this banana peel!" said to himself as he approached the trash can. As he threw it out, he gasped. Troy and Gabriella were holding hands, their lips touching each others.

"STOP IT! STOP IT THIS INSTANT! THIS IS IMMORAL…IMPROPER…IT MAKES ME MISS MY EX-WIFE!" McDorkold screamed, pulling the two away from each other. He could still see traces of Gabriella's Grapermelon ChapStick on Troy's lips.

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! NO!" McDorkold bellowed, grabbing each love struck luna and pulling them towards the school doors.

Right before Troy was removed from Gabriella, he mouthed to her, "_Happy V-day_!"

Maybe not the most romantic way to end a first kiss, but neither of them seemed to care.

--


	5. Fourth Grade: Year Without A Valentine

Check Yes Juliet

**Fourth Grade**

Fourth Grade had just as many amount of changes – it was simply the process of growing up. This time, there were four different classrooms and even some switching involved. They had four main teachers: McDorkold (who became a math teacher after teaching the third grade), Mrs. Dehern, their social studies teacher, Mr. Zimmerman, their science teacher, and Ms. Olisa is their English teacher. Gabriella and Troy, also Ryan much to Troy's dismay, were lucky enough to get the same homeroom teacher – or well, _unlucky _to get McDorkold. Kelsi and Martha got the easy homeroom teacher (yet again!) of Ms. Olisa. Chad and Zeke were chilling in Mr. Zimmerman's class, who didn't believe in giving grades (just checks and check pluses). Jason got the dreaded Mrs. Dehern who unlike Mr. Zimmerman, only believed in giving F's. Sharpay's dad gave a million dollars to the school so that she could choose which class she could be in. Obviously, she chose Zimmerman.

Troy Bolton was currently seething. His _best friend _had literally ditched him for sunshine and rainbows with Mr. Zimmerman and he was, yet again, stuck in Hatville with the mayor himself. That's right, Ryan_ Freakin_ Evans. And it didn't help that he, Gabriella, _and _Ryan had to work on a Spanish project.

Today was the inevitable Valentine's Day and Troy couldn't be more upset about it. Besides the fact that McDorkold thought that making Valentine's Day cards in _fourth _grade was an unnecessary wasting of time, he had spent weeks saving up for something _sentimental _which he could give to Gabriella. Cameron had suggested a diamond necklace, but all he had was 12 dollars in his piggy bank and 12,000 dollars was a bit _too_ expensive to fit Troy's budget. Troy suggested a plastic necklace, but Cameron scoffed. Cameron was currently 15 and dating two girls (a Nelly Furtado look-alike and a blonde, _curvaceous_ cheerleader). He told Troy he knew _exactly _what girls wanted and the plastic necklace wasn't on the list.

So, instead, he bought her a candy necklace made from pink and purple powdery hearts that tasted like bubble gum. He had been excited about giving it to her all this week, _until _he heard Ryan Evans talking to his sister's _friends _about how he would kiss Gabriella when he handed her his diamond tennis bracelet. Needless to say, the girls thought it was uber cute. Troy – he didn't.

Gabriella was the only girl he knew, and if he knew anything about her, it was that she was a simple person. Not simple minded of course, for she had won the Discovery World spelling bee every year since first grade, but simplistic in the things she liked. Diamonds and silver weren't going to win her over-he hoped.

The day after Troy had bought Gabi the necklace, he showed Cameron, and Cameron explained that bubble gum was probably going to get all sticky on her neck. When Troy recalled this, he sagged in his seat. Now, not only would he have to give her a cheap necklace, but it would engulf her neck in a gooey pink mess. To top it all off, Ryan was going to _kiss_ Gabriella.

Troy shook his head angrily, trying to knock the thought of Ryan and Gabriella's lips touching out of his mind. Why did he even care? He shook his head again and tried to focus on the Spanish lesson at hand.

"Do any of you know what Día de San Valentín is?" Senorita Diaz asked as she wrote out some Spanish vocabulary on the board.

Ryan Evans immediately shot a glance at Troy's puzzled look and raised his hand.

Not to be outdone, Troy raised his hand, too.

"Um…Troy. What does that mean?"

"Uh…" Troy hadn't expected that she'd call on him, "Um…pork?"

Laughter filled the classroom.

"No, Troy, pork is carne de cerdo. Um…Ryan? Do you know?"

Ryan immediately raised his hand, smiling brightly as he confidently recited the answer, "It's Valentine's Day, Senorita!" Ryan grinned, before giving Gabriella a quick glance; this didn't go unnoticed by Troy who quickly blew her a kiss. Too bad Gabriella was too busy copying down the words in her notes.

Ryan looked at Troy oddly and raised an eyebrow; Troy responded with a deep glare at him, letting him know (as Cameron had advised) to back away from his territory.

Ryan shook his head before turning his attention back to the board.

"The first word I want you guys to know is love. Do any of you know how to say love in Espanol?"

Gabriella raised her hand, "It's amor. The Latin used the word amore, though. The derivative of amor is obviously either Latin or Italian, although almost every word is indirectly derived from the Greek or Latin."

Everyone stared at her oddly. She shifted in her seat uneasily. She hated it when people stared at her.

"Geek…" Bob muttered.

"Si! Muy bien! Bien trabajo! Do you know how to say heart in Spanish?" Senorita asked.

Troy eagerly raised his hand, followed by Ryan, and inevitably Bob.

"Yes, Troy?"

"Hearto?"

"Special Ed!" Bob coughed at Troy.

"Bob, quiet down and Troy, wrong answer…again. Ryan, do you know the answer?"

"Si, senorita. It's Coraźon!" Ryan wagged his eyebrows.

Gabriella turned toward Ryan, basking in his knowledgeable glow. "You sure know a lot about Spanish!"

Troy rolled his eyes and immediately called out, "Hey, coraźon was my second guess! I know a lot, too!"

Bob coughed, "Special Ed!"

"NOW THAT'S QUITE ENOUGH, BOB!" Senorita shouted at him, wagging her finger at him.

Gabriella smiled sympathetically at Troy, "Suuure," Before turning towards Ryan again, admiring him.

"Ah, no biggie. It's from this song that Sharpay and I just wrote. It's called 'Bop To The Top'"

Troy stiffened in his seat and put his hands on his metal desk, mocking Ryan, "Nanana. Nna. Nyeh! Bop to the _tooooop_! Sharpay and I _wrooooooote_ a soooong. Nyeh nyeh!"

"Are you quite finished, Troy?" Senorita Diaz said, her eyebrows knit.

Troy gulped and nodded. "Sorry Senorita."

"Now, how do you say candy in Spanish?" She asked the class.

"DULCES!" Ryan shouted before anyone else could raise his or her hands.

Troy narrowed his eyes at Ryan as Gabriella's eyes widened with amazement. _He's such a show off…and he's doing it on purpose, too!_ Troy thought, _I'm gonna give him the smackdown…eventually… _Troy thought, borrowing one of Cameron's most used phrases.

"Raise your hand next time, Ryan." Senorita Diaz warned before wrapping her short black bob into a scrunchie and tying it into a bun.

"S-P-E-C-I-A-L _Ed,_" Bob remarked cattily.

"OUT!" Senorita barked, pushing the door open and almost knocking over. He had obviously been listening through the door for most of the class.

"Ach hem…um…well, mmmm…this is awkward…" He mumbled before racing down the hall.

"_Anyway_…" Senorita started, "since we went over a few of the words on the board and we still have a few minutes left, lets have some of the project groups come up and present their posters on the wildlife in Spain and Mexico!"

She looked on her clip-board and read off of it, "Ryan, su grupo es! Venir abajo en!"

"YES! OUR GROUP IS UP! C'MON GABRIELLA!" Ryan said, blatantly ignoring Troy.

"Oh, I'm coming. Don't worry about _me_…" Troy mumbled, grabbing their poster from the back of the room and shuffling to the front.

"Our project is on las plantas de españa y mexico. Otherwise known as the plants of Spain and Mexico!" Gabriella said, slowly and clearly.

The classroom thundered with applause.

Ryan went on to explain the project details – _his _project details and only his. In the midst of it, he wrapped an arm around Gabriella, saying, "_This _is the _wild _lily. Beautiful and _dangerous_, but surprisingly dainty." He wagged his eyebrows. Gabriella squirmed.

"SPECIAL ED!" Bob yelled from outside the door.

"THAT'S IT!" Senorita exclaimed, flinging the door open and pushing Bob towards the principal's office.

Troy blinked. _Wild Lily? Dangerous? Dainty? Since when was this in their presentation? Ryan was supposed to be talking about forest fungus, not Gabriella! _Troy coughed as Ryan's hand touched Gabriella's waist and squeezed. She quickly jumped away.

"Okay, that's _it. _You're getting the _SMACKDOWN_, homie!" Troy yelled angrily, smacking his fist in his left hand before pouncing on Ryan and attacking his left jaw.

Gabriella's mouth fell open as the rest of the class crowded around and yelled, "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" And the occasional, "BEAT HIM DOWN, HOMIE!"

Ryan screamed like a girl as he batted his hands girlishly towards Troy's fist, "Don't hurt mi hat!"

Troy scowled and violently grabbed his hat and tossed it out the open window before punching him square in the nose, causing a _massive _nosebleed for Ryan, "That's what you GET FOR MESSING IN MY TERRITORY!

Gabriella's eyes raised, "Your _whaat_?" She said sharply.

Troy looked up towards her, realizing that the words hurt. He suddenly remembered what Cameron had said, "Bro, never use that phrase around your girl. They like to think of themselves as your love muffin, not your property…"

_Uh oh._

Troy opened his mouth to apologize but before he could, Ryan's fist collided with his jaw, sending Troy backwards, slamming him against a desk.

Troy raised his fist to give Ryan a good punch in the stomach. Just as his fist was about to pound Ryan into obiliteron, Senorita Diaz came running in.

"¿Qué está pasando?" She yelped, rushing to pull Troy away from Ryan, "TROY!"

"Huh? Me? What?'

"¡Oh mi Dios! I said get off of him, Troy! Esto es el caos!" She cried, throwing Troy out into the hallway and rushing to the aid of Ryan, who's nose was gushing blood violently.

Gabriella touched Ryan's, neck (which was covered in blood), stood up, and held out the hand to Troy. "Is this what you wanted?"

For the first time, Gabriella stared at Troy with utter disdain.

**--**


End file.
